Back in April 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule that would have banned non-compete agreements nationwide as of September 4, 2024. (You can read our alert on the FTC’s final rule here.) However, on...more
9/18/2024
/ Competition ,
Confidential Information ,
Contract Terms ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Labor Reform ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Restrictive Covenants
As expected, in the last month the National Labor Relations Board has continued to issue decisions that reverse Trump-era precedents and expand the protections available to employees and unions. In Noah’s Ark Processors, LLC...more
6/2/2023
/ Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Penalties ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Unions
On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) proposed a new rule which, if adopted, would ban U.S. employers from using non-compete agreements. In its notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPR”), the FTC sought public...more
On March 15, 2023, the Chicago City Council overwhelmingly voted to approve an ordinance requiring labor peace agreements between workers and Chicago-funded nonprofit organizations providing critical public health and social...more
4/6/2023
/ City of Chicago ,
Contractors ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Illinois ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Public Health Service (PHS) ,
Social Services ,
Tax Exempt Entities ,
Unions
Happy New Year! Several employment laws became effective January 1, 2023, and our team at Franczek P.C. has compiled them in its new Labor & Employment Law Legislative Update, focused on new laws in effect in 2023. The new...more
1/10/2023
/ Collective Bargaining ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hairstyle Discrimination ,
Illinois ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Minimum Wage ,
State Constitutions ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
Work Schedules
As we’ve previously reported, union organizing is on the upswing and the NLRB is beginning to issue decisions that reverse Trump-era precedents that were generally more favorable to employers. This is the first in what we...more
10/20/2022
/ Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Dues Checkoff ,
Employees ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
SCOTUS ,
Strike ,
Union Dues ,
Unions
For decades, employers have been permitted to hold mandatory meetings or “captive audience speeches” in response to union organizing campaigns to present the company’s position on unionization. On April 7, 2022, the National...more
4/19/2022
/ Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Unions
In the final week of first 100 days of, the Biden administration, significant labor and employment activity includes a Department of Labor (“DOL”) official and two judicial nominations sent to the Senate, a push from the DOL...more
4/29/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Minimum Wage ,
NLRB ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Strategic Enforcement Plan ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour
In week thirteen, the Biden administration’s labor and employment activity includes the nomination for the Assistant Secretary of Disability and Employment Policy at the Department of Labor (DOL); the Senate committee vote on...more
4/20/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Small Business ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
In week twelve, the Biden administration’s labor and employment activity includes selecting a chief to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), increased staffing at the Equal Employment Opportunity...more
4/13/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Reform ,
OSHA ,
Wage and Hour
In week eleven, the Biden administration’s labor and employment activity includes the introduction of the American Jobs Plan, the extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, employment policy changes at the Department of...more
4/6/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Defense Sector ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
GILTI tax ,
Job Creation ,
Labor Reform ,
LGBTQ ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Tax Reform ,
Transgender
In week ten, the Biden administration’s labor and employment activity includes the Senate confirmation of Marty Walsh as Labor Secretary, the nomination of former CEO of the Democratic National Committee to the Solicitor of...more
Each week during the first 100 days of the new administration, we will provide a recap of significant initiatives and events that will impact employers.
In week nine, the Biden administration’s labor and employment...more
3/23/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
OSHA ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In week eight, the Administration’s labor and employment activity includes the passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, the House’s passage of the PRO Act labor law reform bill, and the upcoming Senate confirmation...more
3/15/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Relief Measures ,
Sick Leave ,
Sick Pay ,
Tax Credits ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
In week six, the Administration’s labor and employment activity includes a major roadblock to the $15 federal minimum wage increase, an extension of unemployment benefits by the DOL, and unexpected silence by the...more
3/1/2021
/ Amazon Marketplace ,
Biden Administration ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
In week five, the Administration’s labor and employment activity includes a new NLRB General Counsel appointee, an executive order revoking Trump’s industry-led apprenticeship program, the DOL’s continual withdrawal of Trump...more
2/22/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Apprenticeships ,
Biden Administration ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Gig Economy ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
Wage and Hour
In week four, the Administration’s labor and employment activity includes further reversal of Trump era initiatives at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), including a move to protect “Scabby the Rat”, the nomination of...more
2/15/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Minimum Wage ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
In week two, the Biden administration shook things up at the National Labor Relations Board with the firing and replacement of General Counsel Peter Robb, walked back President Trump’s pro-independent contractor agenda at the...more
2/1/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Independent Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
OSHA ,
Race Discrimination ,
Tip-Pooling